JD Martinez hit a ball over the head of Randy Arozarena in the bottom of the 12th inning Tuesday night, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 6-5 come from behind win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.
Boston (2-3) took an early lead when Tampa Bay starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow threw a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning, allowing Christian Arroyo to score from third base. Manuel Margot gave the Rays the lead with a two run single in the third, and Tampa took a 3-1 advantage when Joey Wendle stroked an RBI single in the sixth inning. Martinez brought the Sox within a run with a one out RBI double in the bottom of the eighth. Christian Vazquez would send the game to extra innings with a long leadoff homerun off Tampa closer Diego Castillo in the bottom of the ninth, well over the green monster in left field.
In extra innings with the new runner on second base rule to start the inning, Willy Adames would double in the 11th to score Brandon Lowe to make it 4-3 Rays. Rafael Devers immediately tied it again taking the first pitch of the bottom half and slapping a hard RBI single to right. Arozarena gave Tampa Bay (2-3) back a one run lead with an RBI groundout in the top of the 12th inning. Enrique Hernandez and Arroyo were both retired to start the bottom of the 12th for Boston, before Alex Verdugo was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch would send runners to second and third with Martinez at the plate. Martinez hit a 1-1 pitch way back in right field, and Arozarena got his legs tangled up trying to get back to catch it as the ball landed on the warning track allowing Hunter Renfroe and Verdugo to run home to end it.
Phillips Valdez (1-0) won in relief by pitching the 12th inning. Martin Perez started and allowed three runs on five hits with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Martinez and Devers had two hits each, with Martinez knocking in three runs. Castillo along with former Red Sox pitcher Jeffrey Springs were charged with blown saves for Tampa Bay, and Ryan Thompson (1-1) was the tough luck loser. Glasnow only allowed one run on four hits with nine strikeouts in a 6.0 inning no decision. Adames had two hits. Boston after being swept by Baltimore, will go for a three game sweep over the defending American League Champion Rays on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. Nathan Eovaldi starts on the mound for Boston, while Tampa counters with left hander Ryan Yarborough.
